Stolen kisses are always the sweetest. My food is even better.

Polvoron

Every Filipino grew up having this Filipino treat as a staple in their homes

Polvoron, which is of Spanish origin is a shortbread made of toasted flour, milk, sugar and butter. Its name is derived from the Spanish word polvo which means dust, as they are very crumbly and delicate.

There are a lot of regional (Spanish colonies) varieties of these treats. Some are complex which include baking and others are simple. The Filipino polvoron is probably one of the simplest recipes to make. It also requires a polvoron mold. It is usually made of tin with a spring mechanism that allows the polvoron to be released when pressed.

As a kid, I used to cook polvoron a lot of times. If I’m too lazy to form these into its mold, I would just store this in a jar and spoon out the polvoron to my heart’s content. I know, so unhealthy! :) There are also times that I would omit the butter in the recipe and would just eat it in its powdery form, though not as tasty, it is equally satisfying.

Today, there are a lot of flavors that polvoron makers came up with. Delicious varieties include cookies and cream, chocolate, coffee, pinipig, and cashew among others. I’ve even tasted recently a not-so-yummy mangosteen polvoron. But I tell you, nothing beats a plain, buttery polvoron.

Here’s my Polvoron recipe:

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3 cups powdered milk (full cream such as Nido and Bear Brand)

1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar

1/2 stick butter

1/2 cup margarine

Directions:

In a frying pan or wok over medium low heat, toast the flour until light brown and you smell the aroma. Around 15 minutes. Stir constantly to avoid burning.

Transfer to a large mixing bowl and let it cool.

Add the powdered milk and sugar and stir until evenly mixed.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt butter and margarine.

Pour-in the butter-margarine mixture and combine well. Let it cool.

Using a polvoron mold, scoop in the mixture and flatten with the back of a spoon.

Release polvorons in a small tray (you may stack them) and chill in the fridge to set. (Around 20-30 minutes)

Serve with a smile and enjoy! :)

* You may wrap them individually with Japanese papers.

* You may also not mold them into their usual forms and just store the mixture in an air-tight container.

7 Responses

I am about to start a “revolutionarized polvorón” business. Thanks for the tips. (I am reading a lot of polvorón stories right now. I am kinda mortified to know that polvorón has such an interesting story and the varieties of it make me wonder, “Wow, Polvorón.” Then I think of my own varieties.) Gotta start the business soon. Wish me luck.

PS I am naming my business Veinte Uno Forever. I am turning 21 on June 23.

Half a stick of butter is 1/4 cup. Yes, I think plain flour is APFlour, not sure though. You can use margarine but butter makes yunmier polvorons :) With regards to the mold, maybe you can ask a friend from the Philippines to send you one :)

Nut are often included in some recipes, I have yet to encounter polvorons with candied fruits but why not? I personally perefer them just plain, but you are more than welcome to try other flavors as well. Just do them in small batches first so you can gauge which flavor combos work best. Have fun! :)

Hi I'm Ken. I've always been fascinated with the culinary world even before I learned my ABCs. I remember waking up in the morning to the smell of my Grandma's freshly baked pastries and would while the time away watching her do magic in the kitchen.
Having no formal culinary education (I graduated BFA maj in Advertising) I always spend my time watching Food Network TV shows and experiment dishes after dishes in my kitchen.
Join me in my blog as I discover and share with you wonderful and yummy recipes. Have fun in the kitchen and happy eating!!!